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Henry VI, Part 1 (Folio 1, 1623)

Author: William Shakespeare
Not Peer Reviewed
Enter Gloster, with his Seruing-men.
360 Glost. I am come to suruey the Tower this day;
Since Henries death, I feare there is Conueyance:
Where be these Warders, that they wait not here?
Open the Gates, 'tis Gloster that calls.
1. Warder. Who's there, that knocks so imperiously?
365 Glost.1. Man. It is the Noble Duke of Gloster.
2. Warder. Who ere he be, you may not be let in.
1. Man. Villaines, answer you so the Lord Protector?
1. Warder. The Lord protect him, so we answer him,
We doe no otherwise then wee are will'd.
370 Glost. Who willed you? or whose will stands but mine?
There's none Protector of the Realme, but I:
Breake vp the Gates, Ile be your warrantize;
Shall I be flowted thus by dunghill Groomes?
Glosters men rush at the Tower Gates, and Wooduile
375
the Lieutenant speakes within.
Wooduile. What noyse is this? what Traytors haue
wee here?
Glost. Lieutenant, is it you whose voyce I heare?
Open the Gates, here's Gloster that would enter.
380 Wooduile. Haue patience Noble Duke, I may not open,
The Cardinall of Winchester forbids:
From him I haue expresse commandement,
That thou nor none of thine shall be let in.
Glost. Faint-hearted Wooduile, prizest him 'fore me?
385Arrogant Winchester, that haughtie Prelate,
Whom Henry our late Soueraigne ne're could brooke?
Thou art no friend to God, or to the King:
Open the Gates, or Ile shut thee out shortly.
Seruingmen. Open the Gates vnto the Lord Protector,
390Or wee'le burst them open, if that you come not quickly.
Enter to the Protector at the Tower Gates, Winchester
and his men in Tawney Coates.
Winchest. How now ambitious Vmpheir, what meanes
this?
395 Glost. Piel'd Priest, doo'st thou command me to be
shut out?
Winch. I doe, thou most vsurping Proditor,
And not Protector of the King or Realme.
Glost. Stand back thou manifest Conspirator,
400Thou that contriued'st to murther our dead Lord,
Thou that giu'st Whores Indulgences to sinne,
Ile canuas thee in thy broad Cardinalls Hat,
If thou proceed in this thy insolence.
Winch. Nay, stand thou back, I will not budge a foot:
405This be Damascus, be thou cursed Cain,
To slay thy Brother Abel, if thou wilt.
Glost. I will not slay thee, but Ile driue thee back:
Thy Scarlet Robes, as a Childs bearing Cloth,
Ile vse, to carry thee out of this place.
410 Winch. Doe what thou dar'st, I beard thee to thy
face.
Glost. What? am I dar'd, and bearded to my face?
Draw men, for all this priuiledged place,
Blew Coats to Tawny Coats. Priest, beware your Beard,
415I meane to tugge it, and to cuffe you soundly.
Vnder my feet I stampe thy Cardinalls Hat:
In spight of Pope, or dignities of Church,
Here by the Cheekes Ile drag thee vp and downe.
Winch. Gloster, thou wilt answere this before the
420Pope.
Glost. Winchester Goose, I cry, a Rope, a Rope.
Now beat them hence, why doe you let them stay?
Thee Ile chase hence, thou Wolfe in Sheepes array.
Out Tawney-Coates, out Scarlet Hypocrite.
425
Here Glosters men beat out the Cardinalls men,
and enter in the hurly-burly the Maior
of London, and his Officers.
Maior. Fye Lords, that you being supreme Magistrates,
Thus contumeliously should breake the Peace.
430 Glost. Peace Maior, thou know'st little of my wrongs:
Here's Beauford, that regards nor God nor King,
Hath here distrayn'd the Tower to his vse.
Winch. Here's Gloster, a Foe to Citizens,
One that still motions Warre, and neuer Peace,
435O're-charging your free Purses with large Fines;
That seekes to ouerthrow Religion,
Because he is Protector of the Realme;
And would haue Armour here out of the Tower,
To Crowne himselfe King, and suppresse the Prince.
440 Glost. I will not answer thee with words, but blowes.
Here they skirmish againe.
Maior. Naught rests for me, in this tumultuous strife,
But to make open Proclamation.
Come Officer, as lowd as e're thou canst, cry:
445 All manner of men, assembled here in Armes this day,
against Gods Peace and the Kings, wee charge and command
you, in his Highnesse Name, to repayre to your seuerall dwel-
ling places, and not to weare, handle, or vse any Sword, Wea-
pon, or Dagger hence-forward, vpon paine of death.
450 Glost. Cardinall, Ile be no breaker of the Law:
But we shall meet, and breake our minds at large.
Winch. Gloster, wee'le meet to thy cost, be sure:
Thy heart-blood I will haue for this dayes worke.
Maior. Ile call for Clubs, if you will not away:
455This Cardinall's more haughtie then the Deuill.
Glost. Maior farewell: thou doo'st but what thou
may'st.
Winch. Abhominable Gloster, guard thy Head,
For I intend to haue it ere long.
Exeunt.
460 Maior. See the Coast clear'd, and then we will depart.
Good God, these Nobles should such stomacks beare,
I my selfe fight not once in fortie yeere.
Exeunt.